WAVE vs ConformPilot
WAVE is a great visual accessibility checker for quick page reviews. ConformPilot is a complete auditing platform for enterprise compliance. Here is how they compare.
WAVE
WAVE is a free web accessibility evaluation tool by WebAIM. It overlays visual icons on a webpage to highlight accessibility errors, alerts, and structural elements. It is ideal for quick visual reviews of individual pages and is widely used by accessibility beginners and content editors.
- ✓ Free browser extension and online tool
- ✓ Visual, easy-to-understand feedback
- ✓ Good for quick page-level checks
- ✗ No VPAT generation
- ✗ No multi-page crawling
- ✗ No enterprise reports or exports
ConformPilot
ConformPilot is an enterprise accessibility auditing platform that crawls entire websites, uses three scanning engines, and generates VPAT 2.5 reports. It is designed for compliance officers, accessibility teams, and enterprises that need professional documentation for procurement and legal compliance.
- ✓ axe-core + Pa11y + Lighthouse engines
- ✓ Generates VPAT 2.5 Word documents
- ✓ Full site crawling — hundreds of pages
- ✓ Authenticated scanning built-in
- ✓ WCAG 2.2, Section 508, EN 301 549
- ✓ Professional enterprise reports
WAVE vs ConformPilot — Side by Side
| Feature | WAVE | ConformPilot |
|---|---|---|
| Scanning Approach | Visual page overlay | Automated multi-engine scan |
| Accessibility Engines | WebAIM WAVE engine | axe-core + Pa11y + Lighthouse |
| VPAT 2.5 Generation | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Automatic VPAT 2.5 Word doc |
| Multi-page Crawling | ✗ One page at a time | ✓ Full site crawl |
| Authenticated Scanning | Manual (browser extension) | ✓ Built-in auth support |
| WCAG 2.2 Mapping | Partial visual indicators | ✓ Full criterion mapping |
| Section 508 Mapping | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included in VPAT |
| Word Document Export | ✗ No export | ✓ Professional DOCX export |
| Batch Auditing | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Hundreds of pages per audit |
| Enterprise Reporting | ✗ Visual only | ✓ Branded enterprise reports |
| Pricing | Free | Free trial + paid plans |
WAVE or ConformPilot — Which Do You Need?
Use WAVE when…
- • You want a quick visual check of a single page
- • You are a content editor checking for obvious errors
- • You need a free tool for basic accessibility awareness
- • You are learning about web accessibility
Use ConformPilot when…
- • You need a VPAT 2.5 for government or enterprise procurement
- • You need to audit an entire website automatically
- • You need professional Word document reports
- • You need WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549 coverage
- • You need to scan authenticated pages behind a login
WAVE vs ConformPilot — Common Questions
What is WAVE?
WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) is a free accessibility checker developed by WebAIM. It provides visual feedback about the accessibility of web content by injecting icons and indicators into the page. It is available as a browser extension and online tool at wave.webaim.org.
What is the difference between WAVE and ConformPilot?
WAVE is a visual, page-by-page accessibility checker designed for quick manual reviews. ConformPilot is a complete accessibility auditing platform that crawls entire websites, uses three scanning engines (axe-core, Pa11y, Lighthouse), generates VPAT 2.5 reports, and exports professional Word documents for enterprise compliance.
Can WAVE generate a VPAT report?
No. WAVE does not generate VPAT reports. It shows visual indicators of accessibility issues on a single page. ConformPilot automatically maps violations to WCAG 2.2 and Section 508 criteria and generates a complete VPAT 2.5 Word document.
Does WAVE support multi-page auditing?
WAVE checks one page at a time. It does not crawl entire websites automatically. ConformPilot supports full site crawling, scanning hundreds of pages in a single audit and aggregating results into a single report.
Does WAVE support authenticated scanning?
WAVE can check pages you are logged into via the browser extension, but it does not automate authenticated scanning. ConformPilot has built-in support for authenticated scanning using browser sessions, form login, and basic auth.
Is ConformPilot better than WAVE for compliance reporting?
Yes. For compliance reporting, ConformPilot is significantly more capable. It generates VPAT 2.5 documents, maps violations to WCAG 2.2 and Section 508 criteria, supports multi-page audits, and exports professional Word documents — none of which WAVE supports.
Go Beyond WAVE
ConformPilot crawls your entire site, uses three scanning engines, generates VPAT 2.5 reports, and delivers enterprise-grade Word documents — all in minutes.